Illusion device



' Sept. 26,1944.

H. 5. WHITE ILLUSION DEVICE Filed Sept. 2, 1942 Patented Sept. 26, 1944 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE ILLUSION DEVICE Herbert Sidney White, Brooklyn, N. Y.

Application September 2, 1942, Serial No. 457,074)

4 Claims.

This invention relates to illusion devices and has special reference to an illusion device of the type known as a magic box.

In this type of illusion device the illusion is such that, to the person looking into the box,

one object appears to fade gradually out while a second object gradually comes into view. For instance, the image of a man may appear, to gradually fade away and be replaced in the same apparent position by an image of a monkey or skeleton.

Heretofore such alternate changes have been produced by certain apparatus wherein two lamps or sets of electric lamps are employed with rheostatic control for the intensity of the lamps so arranged that one lamp or set will have its brightness gradually dimmed to complete darkness while the other lamp or set will simultaneously change gradually from dark to full intensity. The two images referred to are arranged on opposite sides of a glass sheet so positioned that it is at 45 to the observer. One lamp or set illuminates one object only while the other lamp or set illuminates the other object only. Thus, as one object is illuminated the observer sees such object through the glass while, when the other image is illuminated the observer sees the reflection of the second object.

Devices of this type have also been employed in stage illumination in which the stage is the equivalent, on large scale,.of the magic box and the proscenium are the equivalent of the observers opening of the box.

One important object of the invention is to improve and simplify the general construction of magic boxes so that they can be produced at a low cost.

A second important object of the invention is a,

to produce a magic box of such construction that the need of an expensive rheostat will be eliminated.

A third important object of the invention is to provide a magic box having improved operating means of a simple character.

With the above and other objects in view, the invention consists in general of certain novel details of construction and combinations of parts hereinafter fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawing and specifically claimed.

In the accompanying drawing like characters of references indicate like parts in the several views, and:

Fig. 1 is a plan view of the invention with a portion of the top removed.

Fig. 2 is a section on the line 2-2 of Fig.- 1.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged detail section on the line 3-3 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is an elevation of the parts shown in Fig. 3.

In the construction of the apparatus as here shown there is provided a rectangular box ll] having a front wall ll wherein is formed a view opening I 2 located between the center of the wall H and one front corner l3 of the box. From the corner l3 there extends a transparent glass partition I4, this partition being arranged at an angle of 45 to the front wall.

A rectangular compartment [5 occupies the opposite corner of the box, the compartment having walls l6 which extend from the rear and side walls of the box at such corner. These Walls 6 do not meet but at the corner of the compartment 55 where these walls would meet if extended sufiiciently from the box Walls there is arranged a door I! pivoted medially of its width as at I8 so that in one position one-half of the door will close against the free edge portion of one Wall I6 as indicated in full lines in Fig. 1. A second position, as in dotted lines, of this door brings the opposite side edge of the door into contact with the other wall l6. In this compartment [5 is a bank of electric lamps I9, and the arrangement is such that the compartment virtually has two door openings 20 which are alternately opened and closed. by the door n. One of the openings 20 admits light when open behind the glass l4 and the other opening 20 admits light when open to the front of the box at the right of the glass.

At 2| is a small electric motor which drives a slow speed reduction gearing of ordinary and well known construction, the gear box being indicated at 22. The reduction gearing has a terminal shaft 23 which carries a crank arm 24 provided with a crank pin 25 which projects in through a slot 26 formed in one end of a link 21. A bracket 28 is fixed to the door I! and has a horizontal arm provided with a slot 29 wherein is mounted a pin 30 held in adjusted position in the slot by a nut 3|. The remaining end of the link 21 is pivoted on the pin 30. On the link 21 is a boss 32 through which is screwed a stop screw 33 which serves to engage the pin 25 and limit its movement in one direction. Thus the screw 33 acts to control. the operative length of the slot 26. Contrasting objects 34 and 35 are corespondingly positioned behind and at the side of the glass l4.

Assuming the door I! to be positioned as in Fig. 1 and the lamps I9 lit and motor 2| running.

24 has revolved so as to bring the pin 25 to'the outer end of the slot 26 whereupon the door will begin to swing. So far the object 35 has been fully illuminated while the object 34 will be invisible since the box is blackened within and the black space behind the glass will have the same effect as though the glass was painted black on its rear face and will act as a mirror to reflect the image 35 through the opening I2. As the motor continues to rotate the door I! will swing from full line to dotted line position. Consequently the illumination of the object 35 will de- The door will remain stationary until the crank crease and the object 34 will be illuminated with gradually increasing intensity. Thus the reflection of the object 35 gradually fades and the object 34 gradually comes into view. The motor continuing to run, this operation is reversed, the

pin 25 moving inwardly until it strikes the screw 33 and then starting a return swing ofthe door. The provision of the slot 26 causes a dwell at each extremity of the door swing.

What is claimed, is:

1. In an illusion device, comprising a box having a sight opening in one face thereof adjacent a corner of the box, a transparent sheet extending from said box corner and diagonally disposed within said box, a rectangular light chamber within the box and having an opening in each of its two inner wall sections, a light within the box, a shutter member centrally pivoted at the inner corner of the light chamber to alternately cover the opening in each of the inner wall sections when the shutter is moved.

2. In an illusion device, comprising a box having a sight opening in one face thereof, a trans parent plate diagonally disposed within said box, a display compartment on each side of said transparent plate, a rectangular light chamber within the box, the inner wall sections of the light chamber each having an opening therein to provide a light aperture leading to each of said display compartments, a light within said light chamber, and a shutter member pivotally mounted at the inner corner of the light chambe to alternately cover and uncover the light apertures in the inner wall sections when the shutter member is moved.

3. In an illusion device, comprising a box having a sight opening in one face thereof, a transparent plate diagonally disposed within said box, a display compartment on each side of said transparent plate, a rectangular light chamber within the box, the inner wall sections of the light chamber each having an opening therein to provide a light aperture leading to each of said display compartments, a light within said light chamber, a shutter member centrally pivoted at the inner corner of the light chamber to alternately cover and uncover the apertures in the wall sections when the shutter member ismoved, and means for actuating the shutter with a dwell between each successive pivotal movement of the same.

4. In an illusion device, comprising a box having a sight opening in one face thereof, a transparent plate diagonally disposed within said box, a display compartment on each side of said transparent plate, a rectangular light chamber within the box, the inner corner sections of said chamber each being open to provide alight aperture leading to said display compartments, a light within said light chamber, a shutter member centrally pivoted at the corner of the light chamber to alternately cover and uncover the openings in the light chamber and actuating means for the shutter including a link connection hav-' ing a lost motion drive to cause the shutter member to dwell in each of its extreme pivotal positions.

H. SIDNEY WHITE. 

